Indie Soul Media http://indiesoulmedia.com
Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:55:35 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1Interview: Bad Bearthhttp://indiesoulmedia.com/bad-bearth/
Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:04:50 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=718Bad Bearth is here to challenge everything you think you know about hip-hop music. The New Jersey-based group released their first EP, Elephant in the Womb, earlier this year and it’s something everyone needs to experience. It’s experimental. It’s weird. It’s mind-blowing. But describing Elephant in the Womb as hip-hop doesn’t do it much justice. […]

]]>Bad Bearth is here to challenge everything you think you know about hip-hop music. The New Jersey-based group released their first EP, Elephant in the Womb, earlier this year and it’s something everyone needs to experience.

It’s experimental. It’s weird. It’s mind-blowing. But describing Elephant in the Womb as hip-hop doesn’t do it much justice. There are psychedelic elements I’ve never experienced before and there are rap lyrics about ugly babies. But it’s so much more.

What really matters to Bad Bearth is how the EP makes you feel.

Elephant in the Womb is an intoxicating haze of good vibes. It’s the rush of adrenaline while you’re making bad decisions with your friends. It decorates space and time with swirling lyrics about anger, pleasure, humor and isolation.

Their featured track, “Bad Idea,” captures Bad Bearth’s essence in one song. It opens with a slow, pounding rhythm, as if to match your thudding heartbeat when you’re already too deep into a mistake. The lyric, “We all must live with what we do” weaves itself in and out of your consciousness. The song is eerily carefree–you know you messed up, but you don’t have to face reality yet.

Elephant in the Womb is an experience and we recommend consuming it for the first time without any distractions. Sit alone on your living room floor at night and close your eyes. Let every wave roll through.

Leaving an aura of mystery behind their short answers, they make it clear that the music does the talking.

___

Indie Soul Media: How long have you been Bad Bearth? Who are your members and how many do you have?

Bad Bearth: We linked up a little over a year ago. Our members include:

LJA – Vocals and Guitar

Smokey – Synths

Producer – Roper Williams

plus whoever else wants to work with us that day.

ISM: How long did it take you to create Elephant in the Womb?

BB: We started working on the album once we decided we should be a band.

ISM: It’s very apparent in “Elephant in the Womb” that you don’t define yourself by a genre. Each song is so unique on it’s own and yet the album as a whole makes sense. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

BB: Our sound is anger coming from a loving place.

ISM: Why do you gravitate toward this style?

BB: We create music based on feeling. One day we may be singing about isolation. Another day we might be rapping about ugly babies. Our thoughts and feelings determine the style/sound.

ISM: The songwriting is awesome. What does it look like for your group when you’re creating and layering sounds together?

BB: Thank you. We appreciate that. When it comes to songwriting we always like to try new things; anything to make a song sound better. We’re a nocturnal band, and almost always work on music late at night/very early in the morning.

ISM: Is there a backstory to Bad Idea? How was this song inspired?

BB: Bad Idea is inspired by personal experience. It is about facing reality and learning things the hard way.

ISM: What does this EP mean to you?

BB: It’s our first born.

ISM: What do you hope to accomplish as Bad Bearth?

BB: We are never looking too far ahead. We just want our music out there for people to hear.

ISM: Are you touring or plan to in the future?

BB: We would love to go on a tour. We definitely see touring in our future.

]]>Interview: Nicholas Rowehttp://indiesoulmedia.com/nicholas-rowe/
Wed, 24 May 2017 00:30:31 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=703Indie folk artist Nicholas Rowe is holding nothing back in his new EP, Everything Has Beauty, which was released back in March. With his new release, Rowe challenges us to re-think what it means to fight through our weaknesses. “The first thing you really need to know about me is that even my closest friends […]

]]>Indie folk artist Nicholas Rowe is holding nothing back in his new EP, Everything Has Beauty, which was released back in March. With his new release, Rowe challenges us to re-think what it means to fight through our weaknesses.

“The first thing you really need to know about me is that even my closest friends sometimes refer to me as a robot, and they don’t mean it in a good way…The general consensus is that I don’t have emotions. This, of course, is far from true.”

He is an enigma to those closest to him, being known as someone who processes emotions slowly or seemingly not at all.

Instead, Rowe allows his music to do the talking. His six tracks are just vulnerable enough to give you a peek at his internal struggles while giving you just enough mystery to make your own interpretations.

The first song on the album, “Everything Has Beauty” sets a fiery tone that carries throughout the EP. The song speaks of an old, crumbling town overlooked by most people. In the song, Rowe vows to never forget this place and remembering that its beauty is there, you just have to look for it. It’s a fiery resolution that burns throughout his six tracks.

There is a story within Everything Has Beauty–the story of a man making sense of his flaws and finding beauty in them–all in a timeless, acoustic style. There is an unmistakable sense of hope at the end of the EP with “How It’s Done”. The song concludes the EP with resolve, as Rowe chooses love over fear.

He has nothing to hide.

___

Photo Credit: Nik Williams

Indie Soul Media: Describe your music.

Nicholas Rowe: I would say indie alternative folk? I mean, it’s been described as ambient and contemplative before. As far as actual sound, it definitely has folky roots but it’s kind of darker.

ISM:Why do you gravitate toward this style?

NR: I think initially as a musician, I was much more rock-oriented. As I started becoming more serious as a songwriter, that’s when I become more interested in folk. That was around the time I was really starting to get into Bob Dylan and everything he did. And from there I started trying to find my own voice and sound. There’s some really good folk that uses these other ambience and elements. I think that I didn’t wanna be just another guy with an electric guitar. I wanted to do something a little different and see what happened.

ISM: Since you brought up Bob Dylan, I know how much Blood on the Tracks had influenced you, so what does that album mean to you?

NR:Blood on the Tracks is just the perfect album to me. It was one of those albums that when I first heard it, I just thought, this is a milestone. Like ‘that’s who I was before I listened to Blood on the Tracks and this is who I am now’ kind of thing. It was almost like a religious experience [laughs].

NR [cont.] I can’t explain it, it’s the songwriting, the storytelling, it’s just so…perfect. For me, I would say there’s a part of that album in almost everything I’ve done ever since. It’s not necessarily something people might hear, it might just be expounding on an idea that came from the album or it might be that I learned how to play all of those songs and learned all the special tunings that he used and incorporated that into my own songwriting and things like that. But it’s definitely had a huge impact on me.

ISM:I love that, and you’re so right. For music lovers, everyone has that one album you remember throughout your journey as a listener, I totally get that.

NR: Yeah that’s definitely what it was. And as a songwriter, it really inspired how I think about storytelling. There’s so many stories on that album and he keeps just the right amount of ambiguity and lets you make some assumptions on your own. Even the character development through some of the songs, I just, I don’t know if it’s ever been equaled. I could probably talk about Blood on the Tracks for an hour.

ISM:So what does the songwriting process look like for you?

NR: For me, my songwriting usually starts with just a need to get an idea out. I’m just one of those people who, emotionally, just processes things very slowly and by the time I fully wrap my head around it, the situation is done. I just need some way to process. So what I usually do is I might have a line or two in my head or some hook and I usually just start writing, just any idea or thought, I just try and fill the page. I don’t worry about rhyming or how it’s all gonna fit together. Once it’s all there, then I’ll start trying to take sentences and rearrange them and get it into something that works and focus on what song structure it’s going to have. For me, it’s lyrics, and melody first, and then I’ll put chords to it and then all the other stuff as far as drums, bass, leads–all that stuff comes later. It always starts with the words and story I’m trying to convey.

Photo Credit: Nik Williams

ISM: I thought it was really interesting that, and you kind of mentioned this earlier, that lot of what you write about is processing emotions slowly but being perceived as not having emotions at all, because this album feels so vulnerable.

NR: Yeah, and I think it is a surprise to a lot of people who know me that it is so vulnerable. I just try to be really honest about what I’m thinking and feeling. And like it wasn’t a surprise at all to my wife, who really understands me, but even my best friends were surprised I think. It’s one of those things I’ve been learning lately is that all of our weaknesses can be turned into our strengths. The fact that I can’t process these things quickly and the fact that I see everything from a distance and emotionally, like I feel like I’m on the outside looking in—that’s a real weakness for me but at the same time, it can be one of my greatest strengths. When it comes to songwriting, when it comes to problem-solving, you know what I mean? As I grow older, I’m learning how important it is to just accept yourself for who you are and realize that a lot of the time what you perceive to be your greatest weakness if you harness it, and step into it, it can be a strength.

ISM: Yeah totally, and it sounds like your song Sacred and Profane kinda plays into some of those themes.

NR: Yeah, I think with that song, I was definitely touching on that idea of your weaknesses being strengths, but also, for me, it’s trying to show the flawed thinking of dividing things up into sacred and profane. We kinda see things in two categories, someone is either good or bad, a decision is either good or bad, and everything can be divided up. But that’s not really realistic. Most things in life are a paradox. For me, there’s definitely some references to the Bible, and I was trying to get across that throughout the Christian tradition and the ancient Jewish tradition, there’s a lot of paradoxes and seemingly oxymorons. We don’t have to fight against that, that’s part of life, that’s part of spirituality, that’s part of the whole thing. When you try to get rid of those, you’re not really understanding what these ancient texts are trying to say. But it’s also very much open to interpretation. It’s also one of those songs I’d never want to take away what someone else is getting out of it. But that is kind of where it came from for me, at least the inspiration.

ISM: Are there any of the other songs that stand out to you as one that you felt really emotionally attached to, like if there was one song for someone to experience on this album, which would it be?

NR: If I had to pick one song that would truly be what I want to get across and means the most to me it would be the last one, How It’s Done. It’s very close to me. I wrote it to be kind of an answer to some of the things happening in the world that I don’t agree with. I also wrote it as a song to my daughters.

NR [cont.]: This sounds weird, but a lot of the process of making this EP, and I actually haven’t told anybody this, but I was just overcome with this very irrational fear that I was going to die. And that if I die, this EP will be the only thing that my daughters have to know who I was and what I stood for. And that was the idea that prompted me to write How It’s Done, that this is who I am, this is who I want you to be, this is what we as Rowes stand for. I wanted it to be not obvious and open to interpretation, but to me, that’s what it means. And so it’s definitely one that I’m closest to.

ISM: So there’s a song you could leave to your daughters on this EP, but if there was one message you could leave with your listeners, what would that be?

NR: The biggest message I’d like to leave with the listeners would be the title track, and title of the album, Everything Has Beauty. We’ve all heard that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And I just personally think that couldn’t be more wrong. Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, beauty is in the thing or the person, it’s there whether you see it or not, whether you appreciate it or not. And it’s our job to find it and share it with others because it’s there. So I think that’s what I hope people catch on to.

]]>Interview: Big Brutushttp://indiesoulmedia.com/interview-big-brutus/
Fri, 28 Apr 2017 01:19:38 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=687“You’re the first person I’ve talked to in days,” said Sean Bryant. The Atlanta-based musician, better known as Big Brutus, is biking along the East Coast from Boca Raton all the way to Manhattan. Alone. I could hear the fatigue in his voice, masked by a genuine enthusiasm to share the stories behind his travels. […]

]]>“You’re the first person I’ve talked to in days,” said Sean Bryant.

The Atlanta-based musician, better known as Big Brutus, is biking along the East Coast from Boca Raton all the way to Manhattan. Alone.

I could hear the fatigue in his voice, masked by a genuine enthusiasm to share the stories behind his travels. On the day we spoke, he had been on the road since 10:30 a.m. and had biked a total of 380 miles since the start of his trip. He will bike around 1,200 more.

He is traveling with a specific purpose. Survive with nothing but a bike and some camping supplies. Play acoustic shows, when possible. But most importantly, raise awareness for International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit providing aid to refugees seeking shelter from war-torn countries like Syria and Libya.

He had changed three flat tires that day. The blazing sun, the stench of roadkill and the open road were fresh on his mind as he spoke to me from his hotel room that evening.

He spoke about his music but also about living and dying, loneliness and coming to grips with who you decide to be in life. There were times I was thankful we were speaking over the phone–my eyes would suddenly well up at different moments during our conversation. The dude is profound.

It’s very apparent that despite the trials of biking alone, he is truly living. I hope he finds what he’s looking for.

___

Indie Soul Media: Describe your music.

Sean Bryant: Just kind of folk rock. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s completely that, I try to incorporate anything that I’ve ever really wanted to try into it. Basically I’ll start with an emotion and wherever it goes in terms of music, then I’ll follow it there.

ISM: What other styles do you try to incorporate?

SB: Sometimes country. When I was a kid, my family really loved country music. I’m not a huge fan of country music, unless it’s like that old school just right-off-the-range Willie Nelson type of stuff.

ISM: I totally get that, I would never call myself a country music fan, but there are still like the old school legends that I really love, I totally get that.

SB: Yeah, like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger album is actually one of my favorites. One of his first concept albums, too. I really like that concept of making an album say something.

ISM: Sharing as much as you’re comfortable with, what sort of events have inspired your music?

SB: I guess, sort of everything? I would never have started Big Brutus if I had never gone through like a major relationship shake-up. That really inspired the first album because I wanted to write something that sounded like a relationship kind of blooming and dying and then coming back together–maybe not the same thing as before but being a rebirth in a sense. I wrote Tiny Box from the whole idea that I could take all these emotions and just put them somewhere else and be done with them, you know?

SB (cont.): The Odd Willow was much more straightforward. Like, I’m nearing 30. Which isn’t old by any means but for somebody who’s approaching 30, it feels older than they’ve ever been. I just started thinking about wanting to accomplish things with my life and not having reached them yet. It’s the idea that if I don’t really do something about it, maybe I won’t ever reach them. And so a lot of The Odd Willow deals with that–coming to terms with who you are as a person, letting go of things in order to accomplish what you are meant to do.

ISM: How would you describe the way that your music has evolved from Tiny Box to The Odd Willow?

SB: Tiny box was very insular. Very immediate, so the sonic palette of it was a little more far-ranging than The Odd Willow. It was trying to do something musically without necessarily saying it so there’s clips of old movies in there and old hymns and stuff that are cut up and electronically moved around, stuff like that. There’s an old 1940s or 50s kind of self-help video i think was called “Marriage Today” and that with like a lot of sonic dissonance. There’s a lot of immediate left turns in the music. The album starts calm and then gets darker, or at least as dark as I can make something.

SB (cont.): A lot of the Odd Willow deals with dying and trying to come to terms with the fact that you will die and so you should make something with your life. So that New Orleans kind of brass band kind of thing really felt like the style that would fit. The whole album isn’t like that–there aren’t horns everywhere or anything. It’s very calming in its effect. There’s some jarring moments still, I didn’t want the album to settle into apathy. I wanted it to arise at its conclusion on its own terms instead of me trying to design it that way. Just like life, you just follow where it leads you.

ISM: How would you describe the songwriting process then? It’s different for every artist and it sounds like you allow it to come to you.

SB: It’s different for everybody and for me it’s even different from song to song. Sometimes you get a snippet of an idea or melody or you’ll be playing on a guitar. Or maybe switching up some instrumentation and come up with a cool rhythm. Maybe you’ll just hear a horn section in your head. And then you just go from there.

SB (cont.): One interesting thing that’s come out of this ride I’ll come up with different snippets or lyrics or phrases that go well together. I’ll record them into my phone while I’m riding and listen to them later and just extrapolate from there. Depending on the circumstance, I try to write from whatever medium I can. I don’t ever wanna be locked down to just a guitar, I want to explore.

ISM: Has this trip inspired future songs?

SB: You know, I don’t know yet. I’ve been reading a lot of Steinbeck on this trip, specifically his book Travels with Charley, which he wrote when he thought he was dying. He took a camper around America and just drove around in search of the same thing I think I’m looking for right now. Which is just meeting and talking to people and getting a sense of America today.

ISM: What has this trip taught you so far?

SB: That everyone is lonely. You can hear it in a conversation with someone or in a snippet of a conversation between two people when I’m passing by. I’ve started to realize that it doesn’t matter where you are, it’s something important to understand and always keep in the back of your mind. Because everybody is the main actor in their own play, you know? It’s hard to remember that nobody else is a side character in their own life. And that’s like going back to the Steinbeck thing, he never wrote from a very immediate place, he kind of accrued experiences and then later he used them. I think that’s like the same kind of process I’m going through now. I’m just kind of writing down these interactions that I’ve had with people or experiences that I’ve seen. Very specific things like the smell of roadkill on the side of the road or just, you know, changing a tire in the hot, blinding sun. And just really feeling every inch of the road underneath my feet. It’s been a very eye-opening experience for sure, much more exhausting than I gave it credit for.

ISM: What kind of advice do you have for someone who’s thinking of taking on this kind of journey?

SB: Do your research. And I would say to accept that things will change while you’re doing it. That’s been one of the hardest parts for me. Because I think setting out with a goal in mind and not necessarily achieving it or having achieved it in a different way than you were planning to makes you feel like an impostor in a sense. There’s a syndrome called Impostor Syndrome where you don’t believe that you live up to the ideals that you set yourself up for. I think artists go through it a lot. Because you see the people you’ve grown to admire and you want to be counted among those people and then maybe you do something worth remembering but it doesn’t ever feel the way you thought it would feel. So if somebody were to do something like this, they should understand that life has a different set of aspirations than them. It will guide them that way. It’ll still be an experience, you know?

ISM: So how do you pull this off? Where do you sleep? What does a “normal” day look like to you?

SB: It’s kind of funny you say that. My original intention was staying in campgrounds a lot. But because it’s spring break for families, a lot of these campgrounds are packed full. So I’ve been forced to stay in these shoddy kind of motels off the side of the road. Not all of them are terrible.

One I stayed in yesterday looked like that on the outside but once I got to my room, it had a nice rustic Spanish Florida charm. But yeah, I’ve been getting up early, cooking oatmeal in the bathroom or wherever I am. I’ll mix some electrolytes with my water. I’ll pack up my stuff on my bike, bungee the sleeping bag and tent to the top of it all and start going.

SB (cont.): The kind of juxtaposition that I’m at right now is that I’m doing this for a very specific reason to raise awareness for International Rescue Committee but at the same time I’m riding my bike all day long and not getting the chance to mention it to anybody. That’s where the idea to take an Amtrak for a day because I’m stuck in a cart full of people and will hopefully be able to share more about International Rescue Committee there.

ISM: Explain a little more about why you’re passionate about raising awareness for International Rescue Committee.

SB: I just really believe in what they do and what they stand for. Back in 2012, I worked on a cruise ship and one day our itinerary took us through the Mediterranean, and we came across a small boat, about 23 refugees in it. We picked them up, they were from Egypt, they were trying to get over to Greece or Italy, and it was policy that wherever the cruise line was based out of, that we had to return them to their native country. It was always something that sat in the back of my mind and didn’t sit well. I could understand and empathize with trying to better your situation and being forced back into it just because of red tape and policy was very frustrating. And the thing about the International Rescue Committee is that they’re dedicated to helping refugees, specifically places like Syria and Libya right now that could really use more help. It’s about looking at the human side of war where there’s little kids and all of a sudden their moms and dads are gone or vice versa. I can only begin to fathom something like that. It just seems important.

SB (cont.): The only thing I want out of music is to be kind of counted among my peers as worthy of a musician. But past that, I don’t need fame or riches or anything like that. I want to help people. I want to give back to the world because I’m gonna leave the same way I came and I’m not gonna be able to take anything with me other than a settled mind.

]]>Listen: LANNDS, “Young Years”http://indiesoulmedia.com/listen-young-years/
Wed, 08 Feb 2017 21:21:43 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=675Photo by Josh Wessolowski Jacksonville’s upcoming powerhouse, LANNDS, just released her newest track. “Young Years” is in defense of millennials. It’s a hopeful and resistant track that calms in tumultuous times. “We will not conform/we will not be controlled,” she sings softly, but with a defiance that you can feel. Read our interview with her […]

]]>Interview: Jordan Esker and the Hundred Percenthttp://indiesoulmedia.com/jordan-esker-hundred-percent/
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 04:38:20 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=655Jordan Esker and the Hundred Percent, four musicians based in Tampa, have released their second single, “Common Indecency,” proving that no genre is beyond their musical prowess. It’s the slower, more contemplative follow-up to “Taking An Office Day,” the soulful anthem they released last November. “It’s like a soft ballad but with a lot of […]

]]>Jordan Esker and the Hundred Percent, four musicians based in Tampa, have released their second single, “Common Indecency,” proving that no genre is beyond their musical prowess. It’s the slower, more contemplative follow-up to “Taking An Office Day,” the soulful anthem they released last November.

“It’s like a soft ballad but with a lot of loudness to it. That’s the kind of vibe that we’ve been trying with our newer stuff,” said Esker. “Lately, we’ve been trying to give weight to songs no matter the speed they’re played at.”

The lyricism of “Common Indecency” pairs well with its emotional, powerful style. The song opens with Esker’s voice delivering the gripping lyrics, “When people leave the room it’s hard to believe they’re not talking about you.”

It captures the anxiety we’ve all experienced before: you walk away from a group of people and know they will say something about you once you’re out of earshot. Whether the things they have to say about you are positive or negative, it’s the uncomfortable truth that people have a nasty habit of pursuing connectedness at the expense of others.

For Esker, the lyrics for “Common Indecency” came quickly. The instrumentation, however, took years for the band to refine.

“It’s undergone many reincarnations over the time of it being mixed and recorded,” he noted.

The band is approaching their new album with a heavier focus on giving songs the space they need to allow each part to sink in. Songs will be more riff-driven, Esker notes, without compromising their melodies.

“Common Indecency” and “Taking An Office Day” are two of the four songs the band has scheduled to release. They are optimistic that an additional handful of demoed songs will be a full-length album by the end of the year.

The band is participating in a contest to be featured on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk series. The song will be re-imagined yet again to make it fit into the smaller environment of Esker’s home studio. A glockenspiel (mini-xylophone), two accordions, and an upright piano will be incorporated for the song’s simplified sound.

You can watch their submission to NPR Music’s Tiny Desk contest here. Listen to “Common Indecency” on Soundcloud, and Bandcamp.

]]>Interview: Little Monarchhttp://indiesoulmedia.com/interview-little-monarch/
Sat, 14 Jan 2017 23:41:54 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=640Little Monarch’s sun-soaked funk pop is perfectly fitting for a band hailing from Los Angeles. The indie pop band has been churning out indie pop hit after hit since they premiered their eponymous EP on All Things Go back in October. Their song “No Matter What” has been featured on a number of Spotify’s indie […]

]]>Little Monarch’s sun-soaked funk pop is perfectly fitting for a band hailing from Los Angeles. The indie pop band has been churning out indie pop hit after hit since they premiered their eponymous EP on All Things Go back in October.

Their song “No Matter What” has been featured on a number of Spotify’s indie playlists and has surpassed 2 million plays. It’s soulful, uplifting and playful. It’s about staying positive and knowing everything is going to be okay. Listen to the discoey pop anthem without at least tapping your feet along. It’s nearly impossible.

Little Monarch consists of an LA native, a New York transplant and a Memphis import. Singer/songwriter and music teacher CaseyK, who also has a jazz album and publishing company among her credits, has been performing solo for years, but felt something was lacking. Ironically, NickSetter, a Berklee College of Music grad who had interned at the school at which Casey taught, contacted her last year to write songs together. The pair became instant friends and writing partners. Then, somewhere in that process, the duo became a trio, after Casey saw another band one night at the House of Blues and became enamored with their keyboardist, LanitaSmith. The three have been churning out indie pop hit after hit ever since.

Indie Soul Media: “No Matter What” is an extremely catchy song that is blowing up on a couple of Spotify’s indie playlists. What was the songwriting process like for that song?

Little Monarch: Thank you! It’s been crazy and exciting to see all the traction on Spotify for this song. Like a lot of our songs, we started out with that lead guitar riff and built around it. Then I think we outlined the melody for the verse and chorus and the words started to form soon after. “One foot after the other” was one of the first lyrics we slotted in but it took until almost the end of the writing process for us to figure out what lines would precede that. “No matter what” was one of the last lyrics we wrote but it fit the bill. That’s the mantra, keep going and stay positive no matter what.

ISM: Was the songwriting process for each song the same or does it differ for each one? Please also tell us about which instruments you play.

LM: The process is pretty similar song to song. We write it just with lead vocals and guitar first and make sure it can stand alone as an acoustic jam and then figure out the arrangement as we go with the rest of the band and our producer, Ryan Marrone. Casey K sings lead vocals, plays synth, and occasional guitar. Nick Setter is lead guitarist and vocals. Lanita Smith sings lead Vocals and plays Keys. Justin Andres plays bass and vocals and Reade Pryor is with us on drums.

ISM:What has your experience been being a band based in L.A.? With it being such a hotspot for musicians, do you feel that it has contributed to your success and also, has it made it difficult at all?

LM: Well without LA I don’t think any of us would have met. Whether it was through other gigs, or teaching music, or doing session work, we all crossed paths in this city because of the music scene here. I think the only difficulty in being an LA based band comes with scheduling. We all have busy lives and careers so getting 5 musicians schedules to align can be a bit tricky. We try to differentiate our music from the rest because it’s a fusion of a lot of sounds. All 3 of us have our own style and sound and the synergy of it all is what makes our group tick. Having 2 female lead singers is something new and fresh and when we play our stuff live I think we really take it to that next level.

ISM:Lanita was the last member to join Little Monarch. Explain for us a little more on how her strengths contributed to the sound of your music.

LM: She is a powerhouse singer and a total prodigy. She grew up in Memphis and learned to play in church so she brings a side of gospel and soul to our music that might otherwise just be straight indie pop rock. When she plays she puts her whole world into it, its transcendent. When we aren’t making music the three of us also have a great dynamic as friends. Always lifting each other up and bringing new and interesting people into each other’s lives.

ISM: How would you describe your music to listeners who haven’t heard your music yet?

LM: Upbeat, positive, warm, and soulful. A unique fusion of pop and rock with some edges.

]]>Interview: Sea Cycleshttp://indiesoulmedia.com/interview-sea-cycles/
Wed, 14 Dec 2016 19:19:36 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=634Photos courtesy of Brian Squillace. Brian Squillace led me down a dimly-lit hallway, rounded a corner and climbed up a creaky set of dark wood stairs. There was a Burrito Gallery menu on a step. He glided through a small walkway through a big room full of well, stuff. It looked and smelled like a […]

Brian Squillace led me down a dimly-lit hallway, rounded a corner and climbed up a creaky set of dark wood stairs. There was a Burrito Gallery menu on a step. He glided through a small walkway through a big room full of well, stuff. It looked and smelled like a messy antique store.

He entered an open room lit by the glow of string lights and two lamps. Guitar cases, amps, drums and fans littered the floor. Graffiti covered the walls, in places so thick it was intelligible. A canvas that almost touched the ceiling was painted with grey and blue swirling lines. A brown mandala tapestry hung on the wall next to a Mogwai poster.

It’s Sea Cycles’ do-it-yourself practice space. There, in the center of it all, was a drum kit, a synthesizer, mics and guitar pedals. It was a typical Tuesday for the local band, who practice twice a week.

Sea Cycles is Brian Squillace, guitar, auxiliary drums and synth; Landon Paul, guitar and bass; Josh Wessolowski, drums; and Colin Adkins, guitar, bass and lead vocals. The band itself has had varying members since 2011 and the current lineup since 2015. It’s always been about good friends making music together.

They come from different places in the United States, but found their homes in Jacksonville. Brian and Landon are originally from North Carolina and have been playing music together since they were teenagers. Colin, a Lakeland native, used to play in a different local band with Wisconsin native Josh.

All in their 30s, they’ve all been involved in one project or another in Jacksonville’s music scene for the past five years. All four of them being in a band together had always been a joke among them. They get along great, having had a group chat for about two years. So one day, they thought, “Well, why not?”

At their practice that night, they each warmed up in their own way. Colin hummed, Landon strummed, Joshi hit the pedal for the kick drum and Brian messed with his computer. Then they started to play.

The ambient synth pop enveloped the room. A projector cast cut-up videos of waves, trees and people to the beat of the music. They played hard. In each of the songs, they let one of the instruments speak for themselves. Whether it be a drum crescendo, a guitar riff or a harmonized lyric, it had its time to reverberate through the room.

The set ended and they laughed together, making notes about small edits they wanted to make to the songs. It sounded like noisy gibberish, but to them, it’s the language they understand best.

Right now, they’re putting their all into making a new album.

“It’s a weird time for us right now,” Brian said. Colin joined after the recording of their debut album, “Ground & Air,” and has more of a connection with the songs he’s had a hand in writing.

The band members are experiencing a dichotomy between the band they used to be, which had a more instrumental direction and cryptic lyrics, and the band they are now, which they want to have more lyrical direction.

“You can convey ideas a lot easier with a songwriter in the band and lyrics,” said Landon.

Colin is the main man behind the band’s current songwriting. Each member raved about their new addition’s lyrical prowess and “angel voice.” He basically mumbles a melody and accepts collaboration from the other band members to fit his mumbling.

But when creating a new song, they have a “loop-based process,” according to Josh.

“We’re so wrapped up in trying to come up with new songs for the record, so the writing process comes from all of us trying to bring ideas to the table, and as soon as the ideas come to the table, we interpret them in our own voices and try to figure out how to make them fit our sound,” he said.

Josh brought the idea for a new song, “You Say” to the table. The vocal melodies, parts of the drum beat and the bass line were in the song, and each member worked until they figured out which part they would play, adding layers until it became a whole song.

They’re a very technology-driven band. They record every practice, listen to it all week, and come back the next week to discuss the changes they need to make. Everything is about collaboration.

Photo courtesy of Brian Squillace.

They aim to be sustainable as a band. You can hear them play once or twice a month at places like Raindogs and Nighthawks. Right now, they’re on a bit of a hiatus though–they want to completely focus on their new album.

]]>Interview: Strangerwolfhttp://indiesoulmedia.com/interview-strangerwolf/
Sat, 22 Oct 2016 13:42:47 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=605I put my past in a sheetrock wall. Rick and Ryan Kennedy, the Murray Hill natives behind Strangerwolf, met with me on a particularly rainy Tuesday evening at Brew Five Points. Despite the difficulty of meeting during inclement weather, they were good sports. They each grabbed a cold draft, pulled up a chair and opened […]

Rick and Ryan Kennedy, the Murray Hill natives behind Strangerwolf, met with me on a particularly rainy Tuesday evening at Brew Five Points. Despite the difficulty of meeting during inclement weather, they were good sports. They each grabbed a cold draft, pulled up a chair and opened up about the music that echoes from their subconscious.

At first encounter, they were two nice guys who didn’t take themselves too seriously. However, after explaining their band name, it became evident that they are two introspective dudes.

Encountering a stranger in a dream, Ryan explains, symbolizes an aspect of yourself that you’re not yet familiar with. Likewise, dreaming of a wolf represents something you’re afraid of.

The Kennedys are well-acquainted in confronting the unknown. At this point, the two cousins welcome uncertainty like an old friend, have a beer with it and allow it to resonate within their band name, their music and their messages to the world. Their eponymous album is the product of them digging within emotional repositories to create a deeply cathartic record.

It is about confronting uncomfortable truths. It is about healing from irreconcilable pasts. It is about looking forward.

Much of their inspiration comes from the unfortunate fallout of a previous band that Rick and Ryan played in. The aftermath was a long, dark time for both. Their guitars, their songwriting and their will to create had been retired altogether.

After years had gone, I’d forgotten it all.

“Our last band kind of fizzled out,” says Ryan. “And we weren’t necessarily expecting that. So whenever Ricky started showing me some of the songs that he was writing, I was almost like what the hell man, we should play these. I didn’t really know what that meant at the time or what I would do to contribute.”

Years later, the two began playing songs together again, in a new acoustic style that seemed foreign to both.

Regardless of their past struggles, they are family. They are comfortable around each other and they are in sync, both in performance and conversation. It’s fascinating to witness.

Photo by Jesse Brantman

For example, we posed a deep question to Ryan–what does this album mean to you?– when, mid-sentence, Rick jokingly tried to steal Ryan’s wallet resting on the table. Ryan dodged his reach and they laughed. It’s this type of playful dynamic between the two of them, along with the comfort of creating music with family, that makes them fearless in their songwriting.

“You can be on the same wavelength very easily when you’re family,” Ryan explains.

As far as Ryan’s answer goes, the album allowed him to explore his talents lyrically and become more vulnerable in the band’s acoustic drumming style.

“I’m more involved in the lyrical part now. So now I’m singing up front, I’m out in the open now when I used to feel sort of protected back when I was behind a drumset. It was completely new territory,” he says.

For Rick, it means another chance to make music after believing for years that everything was over.

“I think in short it means a lot for both us just because it was like a return for us. When the last band fizzled, it was kind of our entire life. So for probably two years–at least for a year straight–I didn’t touch my guitar. But eventually I started writing these songs in secret and it had to be about four or five years later that Strangerwolf finally came to be.

I can hear the sound of new life, rising from the ashes of my past.

Ryan adds, “We only played when we were drinking around a fire and that was the only time you could get him to show you some of the things he had been working on. He’d play these really awesome songs and I’d think, what the hell man, we’ve got to start playing some of this.”

Strangerwolf is filled with passion, fury, fear and redemption leaking through every verse. The two cite musical influences from bands/artists such as Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, Father John Misty, and the Avett Brothers. In varying ways, the songs will light a fire within you, sting you and ultimately, heal you.

Each scar I find, gives me strength to look back and learn.

One of those songs is “Sheetrock.” The acoustics are mellow and the lyrics are resolute. The song references a dream in which Rick found himself in a home he had never lived in, combing through sheetrock and finding pieces of his past that belonged to him. The song is deeply introspective, provoking listeners to confront their own unresolved questions.

Likewise, “Shapeshifter” opens with deep hums and a simple acoustic opening that’s reminiscent of an old western song. It’s confrontational, with fighting lyrics about no longer being taken advantage of–about seeing someone’s true intentions.

There is also something to be said for Strangerwolf’s live performances. Their harmonies instantly woo a crowd and draw you into an intimate listening experience. They are deeply committed to authenticity in their shows, providing background for their songs when the opportunity presents itself. If they could have it their way, they’d always be on the floor with their listeners.

Their vulnerability, both in their songwriting and their performance, is haunting. It has latched on to me in a way I was not prepared for. Their journey of salvaging themselves is one that anyone can relate to.

Now I return to reclaim who I was. Is it too late for me, too late for us?

]]>Interview: LANNDShttp://indiesoulmedia.com/interview-lannds/
http://indiesoulmedia.com/interview-lannds/#commentsSun, 16 Oct 2016 18:28:09 +0000http://indiesoulmedia.com/?p=594Photographer: Josh Wessolowski LANNDS sat in front of us in the back of Deep Search with a small smile lighting up her face. She fidgeted and looked down at the wood floor. She immediately thanked us for wanting to talk to her. Her humility radiated from her nervous demeanor. She held her hands together and […]

LANNDS sat in front of us in the back of Deep Search with a small smile lighting up her face. She fidgeted and looked down at the wood floor.

She immediately thanked us for wanting to talk to her. Her humility radiated from her nervous demeanor. She held her hands together and rocked back and forth when she talked. Her heels alternated tapping the floor.

It’s not what you would expect from an artist with 100k listens on Spotify.

Photo by Josh Wessolowski

She didn’t know how starstruck we were. We gushed over her music and she gushed over us.

We stumbled upon her at an acoustic show at Mockshop Music Exchange where we were blown away.

Mockshop is a small room inside of a Murray Hill strip. Guitars decorate the brick walls and decorative carpet dress the white floors. On that September evening, LANNDS stood in front of a small audience with only a microphone, an amp and her electric guitar. It was so quiet, it seemed as if no one was breathing.

She laughed into the microphone and introduced herself. She seemed in awe of herself, standing in front of people there to hear her. She started a song–stopped–and started again. She laughed at herself, the audience laughed with her–and then she changed. The music seemed to overtake her–it was what she knew best. She started to sing and took the audience’s breath away.

Otherwise known as Rania Woodard, the Memphis, Tenn. native has musical prowess that is shaking Jacksonville to its very core.

Finding her music was a bit serendipitous. She is very connected to Sea Cycles–her album was produced by member Brian Squillace, and they both have a dreamy, atmospheric style of music edging on electronica.

She released her debut EP, Wide Awake in a Sleepy World, on August 16. It’s about just that.

“Lately, I’ve been into this transcendental feel of things. I feel more rounded. My themes for writing have been more about uniting people. This entire EP is about being conscious and aware of what’s going on in today’s society and trying to find peace through it all,” she said.

Each song lends its own hand to the theme of keeping yourself grounded and knowing that you are connected to everyone else. The title track, “Wide Awake” is most about this concept. “Metanoia” and “Still” follows it, bringing in the concept of being in love.

“Basically, it’s about being in love with someone and realizing that in that moment of ‘stillness,’ that’s all there is,” she said.

“Young Years” is a brave defense of millennials. “Everyone thinks we’re lazy, but we actually care a lot,” Woodard says.

The four-track EP was written on her laptop first, using a production program called Logic Pro.

For her, the music comes first.

She creates a dichotomy with her guitar and the program, using both to construct her album. We asked her how she does it, and she immediately pulled a small keyboard out of her backpack–as if she was always ready to record.

Photo by Rania Woodard

Photo by Rania Woodard.

She builds the song off of guitar riffs and a drum beat. Then, she basically presses different buttons on the keyboard, which makes atmospheric sounds on Logic Pro, until she finds what she likes. She adds vocals, and keeps adding filler sounds, until she feels a complete song is born.

“I want this to be the thing that I do,” she told us.

Her show at Mockshop ended with a small smile and a thousand thanks. I could feel my heart swell as she left the stage.

She is a dichotomy in herself–almost a contradiction–being down to earth, while simultaneously transcendental. She’s on a journey to find herself and her music.

We’re excited to be along for the ride.Find her music on Spotify and Soundcloud. Catch her with Narrow/Arrow, Cave Paint and Sea Cycles on Nov. 2.

2. “Radio” – Sylvan Esso

3. “Friend” – FRND

Why it rocks: “Friend” is a surprisingly relatable song whose bubbly electronics provide balance to FRND’s melancholy lyrics about a breakup between friends.

4. “Tomorrow” – Shakey Graves

Why it rocks: “Tomorrow” reveals Shakey Graves’ raw style that we’ve come to know and love. Raw, plucked electric guitar and Alejandro Rose-Garcia’s bluesy voice are all this song needs.

5. “Rhythm & Blues” – The Head and The Heart

Why it rocks: The Head and the Heart continue to tease us with releases from their upcoming album “Signs of Light” (out Sept. 9). “Rhythm & Blues” is perhaps the most emotional song we’ve heard from Signs of Light so far and it’s quickly becoming our favorite.